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Written by Murray Brewster, THE CANADIAN PRESS
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Saturday, 17 May 2008 |
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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The commander of Afghan army troops in Kandahar has asked his country's Defence Ministry to send two more battalions of soldiers to the troubled southern province.
Brig.-Gen. Gul Aqa Naibi, who is in charge of the Afghan 205 Corps, said he recently made the request to the Afghan army's chief of staff, who was on an inspection tour of troops in Kandahar a couple of days ago.
Naibi added that he is hopeful it will be granted.
"The request we had, we handed it over to him, now he will analyze and decide," he said Wednesday following a change of command ceremony involving the general in charge of Canada's mission in the war-torn country.
"If I get two more kandaks (battalions) I will provide security for (the) whole province," Naibi said.
Brig.-Gen Guy Laroche, who formally stepped down Wednesday after 10 months as commander of Canadian troops in Afghanistan, said more Afghan troops would definitely help.
An Afghan unit belonging to the 205 Corps' 1st Brigade is currently in charge of Zhari district, which LaRoche described as "the most difficult piece of ground in southern Afghanistan."
The Afghan battalion - roughly 650 soldiers - took over security in the region long-known as a hotbed of Taliban support in January.
"What we have seen the past four months is remarkable," LaRoche said in his final interview before handing over command to Brig.-Gen Denis Thompson.
"They are taking the initiative. They are very proactive."
Laroche said that if everything goes well another Afghan unit will be able to take over security in the neighbouring Panjwaii district, perhaps by the fall.
The fledgling Afghan army recently has been carrying more of the fight against the Taliban in rural areas outside of Kandahar, with Canadian troops playing a supporting role.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said Canada's best hope to eventually withdraw from the war-torn country involves getting Afghans to take over more of their own security.
Laroche has been pressing for more Afghan army units through the Canadian chain of command, urging to Ottawa to make the case to the defence ministry in Kabul.
"Are we going to get more in the near future? I'm not sure," he said.
"The more troops you've got, the more progress you're going to make and more rapidly you're going to meet the finish line."
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 08 October 2008 )
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